NoMix toilet is, uh, number one
For quite some time now toilets have been raising a stink in regards to their environmental sustainability. They use too much water and mix wastes that could otherwise be put to good use if separated. This has prompted the emergence of half-flush and ultra-efficient toilets, but nothing that really wipes out the problems: that is, until the NoMix toilet.
The NoMix is the saving grace of porcelain equipment and stands at the head of the pack in terms of environmentally friendly bathroom accessories. The Swiss makers of the green john, having just finished a pilot project in Europe, report that 75 to 85 per cent of the 2,700 users found that the design, hygiene, smell, and seating comfort of the NoMix toilets matched or exceeded that of their conventional one. This sounds great for Europeans, though there’s still no word on when the North American market might see the NoMix.
The design of the toilet is incredibly simple - almost startlingly so, actually - making one question how we have spaceships and microwaves when we've been using such a terrible piece of engineering the whole time. Instead of contaminating and replacing a litre or two of water every time one urinates, the NoMix toilet allows urine to pass through holes in the forward section of the bowl, which is then collected in a storage compartment. In this regard, it behaves much like a conventional urinal (which lacks, of course, the collection ability). When conducting more malodorous affairs, the rear section of the toilet behaves much like its conventional counterpart, featuring a slightly smaller water filled bowl that flushes by the same siphoning principle.
There are a number of benefits to using the NoMix. First, and of primary interest for the creators of the next-gen loo, is the sorting capability. The nitrogen and phosphorous in our urine can cause algae bloom as it enters waterways. As algae levels increase, the oxygen levels of the water decrease, which poses a threat to resident fish. In addition, pharmaceutical residues in urine can harm all sorts of aquatic life. If human urine can instead be collected separately, the phosphorous and nitrogen can be processed for more beneficial purposes, including agricultural fertilizer.
Another benefit of using the NoMix is the reduction of water use. Since one really only needs to flush when doing number two, the number of times flushing occurs could be cut in half or more. And since the bowl section of the toilet is smaller than most, the amount of water being flushed will be slightly diminished.
Making things even more wonderful, if the NoMix becomes the standard for our porcelain requirement, women may never have to worry about the infamous raised toilet seat again. In order to be fully effective (unless you have exceptional aim), men will have to take a seat on the NoMix, or face the wrath of the ladies and environmentalists alike.
Relieving ourselves doesn’t have to be a purely selfish act, for as NoMix has shown, the pleasure need not be just ours but the planet’s too.
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